Purple (Not Red) Cabbages
by Val-Creative
Summary: He hasn't been able to stretch his legs in days. Not with Wu breathing down his neck.


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He hasn't been able to stretch his legs in days. Not with Wu breathing down his neck.

Mako wanders one of the local road marketplaces, hoisting a half-full basket of turnips and plums and figs under his arm. "How much for these?" he asks, inspecting the nearby cart. There's no flies but plenty of tiny, annoying gnats in the summer air.

"You can get four for two yuan."

"That's pretty steep for some rotten purple cabbages," Mako argues, frowning. He's sure there were fresher vegetables thrown in the dumpsters of Republic City's lowest slums he and Bolin grew up in. The old, faint memory of rancid garbage and running around through piss-smelling water curdles Mako's earlier weakened appetite.

The cart-owner gives him a nasty but smiling look. "Red cabbages," he tells Mako, eyes flickering over the jut of his stomach.

"I got that, big guy. I'm saying you're overcharging for rotten purple—"

"_MAKOOO_!" A voice howls out. Both men as well as the local marketplace vendors and customers wince. "_MAAAAKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_!"

Wu hurries into view, awkwardly jogging through the crowd. His normally coiffed, oiled hair now flopping against his brow. "Mako! There you are!" Wu proclaims, breathing heavily as he turns around. "You can't be running around here by yourself!"

"I do it everyday," Mako reminds him calmly, pressing a hand on his lower back.

(Standing for long periods of time _is_ getting more difficult.)

"No no no!" Wu yells, his brows furrowing. He raises his hands. "That's not acceptable! Not with the baby!"

"Whose fault is that again…?"

At the purposeful and irritated observation from the other man, Wu has the decency to grin sheepishly. It's not _entirely_ his fault, Mako supposes.

There had been an incident downtown with Spirit World flowers coming out of a Spirit Gate, and people getting exposed to them. Making their behavior erratic and unpredictable. None of Republic City's scientists or medical-trained physicians knew what to make of it. They suggested keeping away.

Korra and Mako and Jinora, along with Asami and Wu and President Moon, had been in the nearby vicinity of a sudden, energy-pulsing growth — and naturally, Wu decided to touch one of the dark violet flowers. It spewed a torrent of pollen onto Wu, and onto Mako acting as the responsible bodyguard, hauling him away but they inhaled a fair amount. Mako remained under observation for twenty-four hours, insisting he felt _fine_ and _extremely thirsty_, but upon seeing Wu —

He's not ashamed of loving men. It's always been the _same_ as loving women for Mako.

But, Mako wasn't really himself that night in Wu's private train-cabin, muttering deliriously and naked and groaning beneath an equally breathless, aroused Wu. He can't put it out of his head though… the electrifying, soft sensation of Wu's mouth on his, getting crowded down and _fucked_ tight and that had been…

Six months ago.

Gone are all of his abdomenal muscles. It kinda looks like Mako has stolen a gigantic melon under his tunic. Asami laughed about that once — to her and Mako's horror, he promptly burst into a sobbing fit, apologizing and wiping his face off, but only crying harder due to his mortification about _crying_ in the first place. Despite the hormonal issues popping up, and all of Mako's body aching and constantly feeling sick, he doesn't mind this.

He and Wu don't exactly have a relationship. Mako wouldn't say no. He's been on formal occasions with Wu as a prince's high-ranking bodyguard, and Wu wanted to be alone with him. His crush had been flattering, if not inappropriate. They're different people. Different viewpoints and come from very different backgrounds. Seeing Wu mature quickly into his role as a diplomat, and lose the self-centered attitude, blossomed some of Mako's own unspoken feelings.

Lin Bei-Fong took one glance at Mako's round, massive belly and ordered him on paternity leave, not wanting the details.

"You're carrying a _royal heir_, Mako…"

Mako's lips quirk up fondly.

"That's not possible. You ordered the Earth Kingdom's monarchy to be abolished," he reminds Wu.

"_Still_!" Wu insists, making an exasperated noise. "And… and it's my kid too, you know!" he adds, and Mako's chest tightens from the inside, filling with a hot, invisible pressure. Gentle. Knowing. "So I don't want to see anything happen to you or to Mako Jr.!"

"… wait, it's not Wu Jr.?"

"I think the baby should be more like you. You're _so_…" Wu's bright green eyes light up. "Brave. And strong. And you're a really good person, Mako."

If this wasn't a public marketplace with all eyes on them, Mako would probably be tempted to kiss him right now. He will once they're back in the fancy hotel room Wu paid for, crawling on top of him, pushing his tongue into Wu's mouth and suckling and grunting out for the ex-prince to touch him like before. To fuck him until he's _quivering_ for it. Wu gave the impression of being lazy and greedy under the sheets, and — and, spirits and hells, Mako had been _so wrong_. He remembers this morning taking in the odor of lavender and currant jam from breakfast, dressing, feeling Wu's palm caress lovingly over his belly.

"However—! The baby _SHOULD_ be handsome! Like me!" Wu announces, slipping a hand comfortably to Mako's back.

Mako rolls his eyes good-naturedly. He's still Wu.

_"Oooh! Purple cabbages!"_

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_LoK is not mine. I FINALLY GOT TO DO A MAKO/WU. YOOOOOOOOO. MY LIFE IS COMPLETE. ALMOST. MOSTLY. Thank you to the mods of the Writing Rainbow for letting me participate in the Purple round! Love this color and love getting to write for this! Giftee, I hope this was to your liking! You had so many good options and fandoms to choose from and I zoned in on this after an hour of staring. And everyone else: I hope you like it too! Any comments appreciated!_


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